Toy bulldozer



,1 45. -H. A. may I 2,385 96 TOY BULLDOZER Filed March 26, 1945- '2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HOWARD A BIBY Oct. 2, 1945. H. A. BIBY TOYBULLDOZER Filed March 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HOWARD A. BIBYzfliliz ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNITED I STATES PATENT- -OFFICE1,385,588! TOY mmmozrm, Howard A. city, Riverside, cant; vApplication-March 26, 1945, Serial Nessa-mi 7.01am. (011640),"

This invention relates to children's toys; and has as its object toprovidea toy simulating a bulldozer.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a toy bulldozerhaving a blade which may be raised and lowered while the toy isbeingpushed by the child.

I A further object is to providea toy'bulldozer including a blade whichmay be'rnanipulated' by a relatively simple control mechanism includinga lever positioned adjacent an operators' seat.

A further object is to provide a bulldozer. which may be used by a childto excavate and pile up sand or loose earth in a manner closelysimulating the action of a real bulldozer. The invention further aims toprovide a toy bulldozer capable of being used in this manner and whichincludes a blade and raising mechanism therefor, by means of which theblade may be manipulated from the rear of the toy as the child pushes itahead of him.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy bulldozerincluding a body portion simulating a track-tractor including simulatedendless track portions that are very simply and durably constructed.

Another object is to provide a toy bulldozer inbearing means formounting a rock shaft onwhich mechanism.

the blade elevating mechanism is carried for vertical swinging movement,and which. track portions also are adapted to give lateral support tothe blade mechanism in the event unusual lateral strain is imposed onthe blade carrying mechanism. At the same time, the inventioncontemplates a simple means for centering. the blade carrying mechanismout of contact with the track portions so as to provide the utmostfreedom of vertical movement of the blades, such centering functionbeing a secondary function of the-blade raising lever. To this end, theinvention'provides a simple arrangement for providing, between thecentral body portion of the tractor (in the form of a solid block of, e.g.,' wood) and a laterally projecting step member, a slot through whichthe lever projects. 7

Another object is to provide asimple' means for locking the blade in itsoperative position, such means comprising simply a pin extended throughsaid step member and engaging the blade elevating lever.

Further objects and advantages of. the invention will be brought out inthe following'partoi the'specification. V g

Referring, to the drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes'only, 1

Fig. I is a plan view of a' toyembodyingthe inventiony. i Fig. 2 is aside elevatior'i'ofthe same; 3 is a vertical-longitudinal sectional Viewcame same taken on' the line sa at Fig; 1; and E13. 4 is a vertical:transverse sectional view at th 'same'takenl entire "IineTL-J .ofrFlg; 1and showing the rock shaft for the blade mounting 'IABLRII example-of.oneformln which the in'venf tion maybe embodiedl have shown'in' the'draw ings, atoy bulldozer which comprises a main body portion,indicated: generally at m; simulating a trick-18601" and a f laisable'blade assembly illdicated generally at l9. The main body partied lhincludes a central body portion, indicated "generally at I l, formed-ofa solid block' j of material such aswood. The bcdy portionjl ijs 'milledor otherwise fabricated with a transverse slot [-2 to form a forwardcentralfbody' portion l 3* simulating a tractor eng neane a rear centralbody portion [4 simulating-an operators seat, with fa floor por: tion lijoinin'g' the portions B and I 4, Secured tothe respectlve sides pf thecentralbody portion H and" extending;longitudinally, substantially coextensively with-the seat and floor portions, t4 and PS- ate apair'otstepjmembers wand I] respec. tively; the uppersurfaces. of which aresubstane tial-ly flush withthe upper surface offthe floor por tion [5;"The steps. and I'I'areQQatta-chedby nails 1 8i eidsending through the.steps and ,driven into thezbodyportions IljancLl5 respectively. I I.

Secured: too the under. side .oi the..central; ,bcd-y portion 11, nearthe forward andrearends there otrespectively, are a. pair of .axlemembers. 29 and}? respectively, to :the end of; whichare at tached thetrack" .i'nem'bersw 2 3. I The tracl mem bers are in the form of solidblocks of matetrial, such aswood, and eachiis providedlwithapair ofopenings 24 receiving respective reduced; pontionsZS on the endsofflth'eaxle members?! and 22 "Ihe rfidl ced end: portions 25ers securedto the.trackv ,members 23 {by nails 26 extended through bothmembersand may befurther securedbylglueing. For-maximum simplicity andsturdine'ssotbonstruction, the; reduced :end por tions 25 are iiltheiform of cylindricaltenons' and the. openingsell are also cylindricaland are formed by drilling through the blocks, comprising thetrac kmembers. 23 "Ihe; axle'?members 2 l and 22 are comprised of short barsof wood, the central portionsof which are rectangular in cross sectionand are nailed or screwed to the under side of the central body portionH.

In the track members 23 are cylindrical openings 3| which form bearingsfor the blade frame shaft 32 which is extended therethrough andjournaled therein. The blade assembly includes a blade 33 and thebladeframe which comprises the;blade supporting;arms '34 and; the shaft 32,to the ends' of-which--the arms 34 are secured. To this end, the arms 34are provided 'with openings '35 which receive reduced endfil? portions36 of the shaft 32 and the armssarc secured to the reduced end portions36 byishort' brads 31 extended through the arms; 34 andtheg: shaftportions 36. The blade 33 is securely attached to the forward ends ofthe "arms 34' by" securing elements, such as screws 38,;extenddricaltenons and the openings as cylindrical drilled openings in which thetenons; 36: snugly fit. Between the tenons 36 and the, main body portionof the shaft 32, and between'the tenons 25 and main-body portions ofztheaxles ;2l and 22 are defined shoulders 39-which serve-tospace apart thearms 34 and the-'trackmembers'23 respectively, and to addrigidity tothese com nectionsQ An operating lever 4| is extended downwardly 7through a slot 42 formed ;as-a,-notch'in the step l6 and defined betweenthe step l6 and floor member I5. The lower end of the shaft-M is 7extended through an. opening in the shaft :32 and may be pinnedto theshaftbya pin, The lever 4| is adapted to normally rest against theforward extremity of the slot 42. andto thereby support the bladef33against movement below the normaloperatingposition shown in Fig. 2.Without, such support, -the-blade ,aSs sembly would tend to buckleunderneath I the tractor body portion of thejtoy whenpushed into a bodyof sand, etc. At'the same time, the blade may be locked against upwardmovement from this normal operating, positionbymealls of arpin 44extended throughan opening-45in the step l6 and into lan'opening-4filinthe floor member l5 and crossing the "slot ,42 behindthe lever 4|. Thepin 44 may also, ,if. d esi'red, be employed to lock the blade in theelevated position shown in dotted lines in l ig. 2, being in this caseextended across theslot ahead-of the lever.

The engagement of the lever 4| with the; respective sides of the'slot'42fnormallyfpositions the blade assembly] against ,lateral shifting'mo'vement in either direction andmaintains the arms 34 out of contactwith the track. members 23. However, in the event the to'yljis us edsoroughly as to exert lateral pressure against the blade assemblysufficiently to cause the arms to yield laterally into contact with thetrack mern bers 23 at their forward-ends, such-contact will prevent anyfurther yielding and will thereb'i protectthe blade fassembly' 7 againstsubstantial damage. Also, because the sides offlthe track members 23'are smooth and the tenons 25 do not project, it is possible still forthe blade assembly to move vertically while such contact is established,and thus, in the event the connections between the arms 34 and theshaft'32 become sufficiently loose to permit the arms to readily contactthe track members 23' (and it will be understood that this is likely tooccur after the toy has beensused fora-longperiod of time), the "toy mayFstill be' operated its intended manner without difficulty.

In addition to the main features hereinbefore described, the toy mayinclude embellishments redr ss the imitation stack member 5! and le-.vers 52I al'1d 53; also, the hub disc 54 covering theends 'o'f'the rearaxle 22; and the draw bar ."-connection:?55 at the rear end of thecentral body member ll.

The'operation of the toy is believed .to be obviousfrom the foregoingdescription, to which may beadded; that the track members 23 function asskids for sliding the toy upon the surface of the ground or a body ofsand, the smooth lower surfaces 56 and roundedjend surfaces}?facilitating such sliding movement.- At -the same time, the rounded endsurfaces 51- and the straightsurfaces 56. correspondingeneral to theoutlines of an endless track of a real tractor.

,Iiclaimas' my invention: 7 r

l. A bulldozer toy comprising: a body assembly simulating atrack layingtractorand having a central longitudinally extending body portion and apair of longitudinally extending skid members secured to saidbodyportionon the respective 7 portions of, a tractor, ablade assembly includingtransverse-shaft journaled in said skid members, a pair of armssecuredto said shaft and projecting forwardly, a blade secured to theforward endsof said arms and'extending transversely, and a lever rigidlysecured in said shaft and projecting upwardly. 3. 'A,b ull dozer toycomprisingf a mainbody assembly including a central, longitudinallyextending, body portion, a pair of axle members secured tothe' undersides of said central .body portion and projecting therefrom oneitherside, a' pair'of skid members simulating the endless trackportions of a tractor, secured to the ,ends

of said axle'membe'rs and projecting below thebottom of said centralbody portionj and a blade assemblyiincluding'a shaft journaled' in saidskid members and extending transversely below said central body portion,a pair of arms secured to said shaft and projecting forwardly, a bladesecured to the forward ends of said arms and extending transversely ofand ahead of the forward endofsaidbody assembly, and a lever-rigidlysecured tosaid blade assembly and projecting upwardl'yq g n i r,

4;:A bulldozer toy comprising: a main body assembly including a central,longitudinally ex.- tending, body portion, including aforward upwardlyprojecting section simulating a toy engine,

a rear upwardly projecting section simulating an operators seat, and acentral floor section joining said forward and rear sections; a pair ofaxle members secured to the under side of said central body portion andprojecting therefrom on either side; a pair of skid members simulatingthe track portions of a tractor, secured to the ends of said axlemembers in laterally spaced relation to the respective sides of saidcentral body portion; a blade assembly including an axle extendingthrough and journaled in holes in said skid members, said axle extendingtransversely beneath said floor portion, a pair of arms secured at theirrear ends to the respective projecting ends of said axle, embracingbetween them said skid members and projecting forwardly, substantiallyparallel thereto, beyond the forward end of said body assembly, a bladesecured to the forward ends of said arms and extending transverselyforwardly of said forward end of the body assembly; and means attachedto said blade assembly for manipulating the latter vertically above theaxis of said shaft.

5. A bulldozer toy comprising: a body assembly including a step memberprojecting laterally and provided with a longitudinally extending slot,and a blade assembly including a shaft journaled in the body assemblyand projecting beneath said step and beneath said slot transversely ofthe body assembly, a pair of arms secured to said shaft and projectingforwardly, a blade secured to the forward ends of said arms andextending transversely forwardly of the forward end of the bodyassembly, and a lever secured in said shaft and projecting upwardlythrough said slot, said lever being arranged to engage the forwardextremity of said slot to support said blade assembly with the blade ina normal operating position.

6. A bulldozer toy comprising: a body assembly, and a blade assemblycomprising a shaft journaled in the body assembly and extendingtransversely of the longitudinal axis thereof, a pair of arms secured tosaid shaft and projecting forwardly, a blade secured to the forward endsof said arms and extending transversely and forwardly of the forward endof the body assembly, and a lever secured to said blade assembly andprojecting upwardly, said blade, arms, and lever comprising a rigidunit.

7. A bulldozer toy comprising: a body portion simulating a tractor, andhaving ground engaging means, blade supporting means pivoted to saidbody portion on a transverse axis toward the rear of said body portionand projecting forwardly, and a blade rigidly attached to said bladesupporting means near the forward extremity of said body portion andextending transversely thereof, and a lever rigidly associated with saidblade supporting means near the rear extremity thereof and projectingupwardly, said lever, blade supporting means, and blade being associatedtogether in a rigid unitary assembly.

HOWARD A. BIBY.

